Debakey VAD

We've only used the Heartmate....

Sorry only heartmate here. Curious, what are your anticoag. requirements. Ours is just hep. sq TID, yet on many we run a drip for prophylaxis. We've had a few CVA's despite the "magic" coating inside the pump. At least three that I know of 15 plus vads. stats a bit high considering none of the CVa's were intraop.

I am unaware of the differences in the brands. Can anyone elaborate?

This last guy is on 325 MG QD of ASA..... and that's it.

We used the DeBakey as a trial on two patients. One had a postop stroke with little residual. Typically we used the HeartMATE and are getting back into using the Novacor on occasion, depending on how long they expect the patient to wait for a donor heart.

Yo

The anti coag we use is heparin. If heparin AB positive then agatroban. Usually on asprin as well. We have strict coag protocols and must draw TEG coag level every morning in addition to either q 6 or 8 hr reg coags, eventually the pt will start coumadin if all goes well. WE had a pt on a biomedicus vad with open chest last week and we couldnt use iv anticoags. Was a loose loose, didnt want open chest to bld and didnt want vad to throw clot. Pt ended up not maiking it ne way.